All About Japan

Annual Firefighter Ceremony Heats Up Tokyo

Tokyo firefighters take part in a yearly ceremony to mark the official start of duties in the New Year, much to the crowd's anticipation and delight. And we've got the thrilling video of the exercises.

This Cat Café is Like a Feline Fairy Tale

If you only have the chance to go to one cat cafe in Tokyo, try Temari no Oshiro—a castle for cats. With no time limit and 21 cats, you might consider living the rest of your life there.

Drinking in a Bathhouse Izakaya

When you think of a cool place to hang out after work and get some drinks, of course, you think of a bathhouse! No? Well, we'll convince you otherwise.

Cardboard Beds for Olympians Revealed

In order to be more eco-conscious, Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic athletes will sleep in beds made of cardboard.

Get a Local Resort Experience at OMO5

Don't choose between a resort experience and a cultural experience. Get the full experience at the Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka, a chic hotel that focuses on connecting its visitors to the local environment.

Travel Back in Time at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

If you're a history buff, you can't miss the Edo-Tokyo Museum, a museum filled with hands-on exhibits and displays to help you imagine how life was in Japan back in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Tearing Down The House

Officials in Tokyo spent nearly US$27,000 tearing down a decaying house in the Kita Ward.

Deep Dive Kanto Day Trips

More than just the beloved mega metropolis, Tokyo, the Kanto region is home to many local areas, each with their own unique charms. If you want to explore another side of Japan, these day trip ideas from Tokyo are the perfect way to do it!

The World’s Stinkiest Flowers Bloom in Ibaraki

Japan is known for many clean, delicious and tantalizing smells, but Tsukuba Botanical Garden just bloomed a 2-meter tall corpse flower, titan arum, that gives off a foul odor.

Snow Falls West of Tokyo

Some parts of Japan's Kanto and Koshin regions, west of Tokyo, were hit with over 30 cm of snow this past week!

Tasty Fast Food Vegan Burger Made From Hemp

Veganic To Go sells purely plant-based, 95 percent organic foods, including what they consider the first hemp burger in Japan.

Japan’s Olympic Uniforms Unveiled

Official uniforms for Japan’s Olympic and Paralympic teams were unveiled ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Sing Your Heart Out above the Tokyo Skyline

Tokyo Dome City's Ferris wheel isn't just a normal, everyday carnival ride overlooking the Tokyo skyline. While your eyes take in the view of the city, let your ears listen to the beautiful voices of your friends singing their lungs out.

First Look at the Tokyo Olympic Village Plaza

The plaza of the Tokyo Games athletes’ village has been unveiled ahead of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

The Sumida Hokusai Museum of Ukiyo-e Art

Katsushika Hokusai, ukiyo-e woodblock artist of The Great Wave, is so synonymous with Japanese art that the Sumida Hokusai Museum is dedicated to him. If you're a fan of traditional Japanese art, you can't miss it.

Hang Out at the Hammock Cafe, Literally

The next time you hang out with your friends, go on and really "hang out"—in a hammock, that is. At the Hammock Cafe + Gallery Mahika Mano, there are no chairs, only hammocks.

Bungee Jumping into Adulthood

Some of Japan’s new adults celebrate their coming of age this year with bungee jumping.

See 1000-Year-Old Bonsai at Omiya Art Museum

The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum features over 70 different exquisitely cultivated bonsai plants on display every season. From forests to dragons, each masterpiece is sculpted to perfection to embody different meanings the same as traditional paintings.

Going to Gotokuji, The Lucky Cat Temple

If you are obsessed with cats, then if there is one temple you should visit: Gotokuji Temple—the temple adorned with hundreds of maneki neko, or lucky beckoning cat statues.

Commuting by Boat in Tokyo

A boat-commuting experiment is carried out in Tokyo in hopes to ease train congestion.

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